Who We Are
by Funky In Fishnet
Summary: Prince Philip is slightly apart from the other Rangers. He has responsibilities and friends. He has Koda looking out for him.


_**Disclaimer:** I own nothing._

* * *

 **WHO WE ARE**

Due to the nature of his role in his homeland, Philip wasn't often able to spend simple leisure time at Amber Beach. When he did find himself so gifted (because for a short while, his brother was taking all calls intended for Philip and was already sending Philip infuriating messages), Philip was invited to enjoy the Rangers' company. They did not, on the whole, stand on ceremony around him, not now. Sir Ivan was an exception and showed Philip a courtly respect which Philip was entirely used to and always valued. It made him feel anchored in uncertain situations such as these. The others he was still adapting to, their more casual natures and tactile exuberance.

Koda was the most casual and exuberant of them all. He rarely ever wore shoes and his hair was usually an unkempt mess. His enthusiasm was unending and he frequently wore an enormous smile that lit up his whole face. He liked to greet Philip by cheerfully thumping him on the shoulder with quite some force, though occasionally remembered to bow afterwards. He was always happy to see Philip.

"He's a strong warrior, sire," Sir Ivan commented during one such leisure visit. "And his loyalty is great."

Philip was sat out of doors in the shade, his jacket removed but his shirt still buttoned up. Sir Ivan stood next to him, Philip's security team spread out nearby. The other Rangers were playing baseball, or at least Philip thought that was what they were supposed to be doing. Riley was coaching Koda who was holding the bat in a very peculiar manner but managed to hit the ball very well. The other Rangers seemed more concerned with making each other laugh than winning – Chase jumped onto Koda's back when Koda reached his make-shift base and Tyler kept turning cartwheels. Most of them , except for Koda, had already tried to get Philip to join them, without any success.

"It doesn't seem very...disciplined," Philip stated.

Sir Ivan laughed a little, "Oh, it isn't but it is fine exercise and such activities serve to bond us as shield warriors."

Shelby had hold of Riley's leg now and Koda was dragging Chase over to a tree, to climb it apparently, from how he was bracing himself. Koda was the most at home here, outside, adapting to his environment in such a way. It was extraordinary to witness; how he was able to throw himself so confidently as though gravity would simply accept him, and how unusual and full-bodied his grace was. It was easy to see in such moments how Koda had come to bond with the blue Energem.

Philip directed a glance towards Sir Ivan, whose desire to join his friends was more than obvious, "My security is more than adequate, Sir Ivan."

Sir Ivan looked at Philip, at how he nodded towards the Rangers in permission, and took a step forward only to lurch a back a little a moment later, "You're quite sure, sire?"

His eagerness to join with his friends but also not to neglect any duties were a credit to Zanter. Philip nodded.

"Fine exercise, Sir Ivan. Make sure you win."

Sir Ivan smiled and shed his coat, folding it neatly before launching himself across the grass. Philip watched, he was not dressed for such activities and besides, the sports he rigorously enjoyed were much less rambunctious. He wouldn't know where to start. Still, he watched as the others threw themselves energetically towards each other, shouting and laughing. He remembered games with his siblings, how long ago had that been?

Koda had reached the tree's branches now and was shaking a couple of them, causing leaves and other debris to fall onto his fellow Rangers. Once Ivan joined them, Koda looked up and waved enthusiastically, looking further to wave at Philip too. Philip waved back

* * *

Philip's security team were never happy about not being permitted to follow their liege whenever he disappeared for his important meetings with the other Power Rangers. But Philip was always firm and he was their prince, wasn't he? And the presence of the whole Ranger team was deterrent enough, not to mention Philip's Energem. So his security team stayed positioned in the museum, contacting him should a threat ever appear there.

As Philip stepped into the lift that would take him down to the Rangers' base, he rubbed fingers to his temples. He had been suffering the most aggravating headache for two days now and for whatever reason, his Energem was not healing it. It was incredibly annoying, Philip was an incredibly busy man, his usual phone calls and busy royal duties were only aggravating the pain. He didn't have time for headaches. He had assumed that being a Power Ranger would mean not have to deal with such trivial problems.

The lift doors opened far too noisily and Philip winced as he stepped out into the base to be greeted by his friends and fellow Rangers. Sir Ivan bowed and frowned, noticing the pain that Philip was unable to mask.

"Sire, are you well?"

Philip nodded carefully, trying not to make the pain worse, "A headache, Sir Ivan, a very persistent and annoying one."

"I think there's aspirin in the kitchen's first aid box, hold on," Shelby told him, before she rushed off, Tyler not far behind.

"I'd hoped the Energem would cease this kind of problem," Philip muttered as he sat in the chair Riley guided him towards.

"Yeah, we all wish that, mate," Chase agreed, with a sympathetic grimace.

Kendall did a quick scan of Philip with one of her many electronic devices. "There's no alien energies present. It's just an ordinary headache."

"I can assure you it does not feel ordinary."

Philip was about to continue when he noticed that somehow, despite being sat down, he was moving – someone was pushing both his chair and him across the floor. A narrow-eyed glance backwards revealed it was Koda.

"What on earth are you doing!?"

Koda nodded towards the area of the base that Philip had been briefly shown during his first tour of it, "Darkness good for head pain."

That was actually a very wise idea. Philip allowed himself to be pushed right up to the cave's mouth and then walked with support from Koda, because the headache had spiked and was making him stumble, into the cool dark recess within. There were more paintings on the walls than Philip remembered there being before, the colours were quite dark or that could have been the dim light. Philip sank down onto the furs piled up on the floor.

"They will watch over you," Koda told him with a glance towards the painted images.

Philip hadn't intended on sleeping – he really did have a lot to do and only a few short hours to meet with the Rangers – but in the darkness and with the Rangers' voices outside providing comforting background noise, he found himself lying back, managing to shed his jacket and shoes. Had someone taken his phone? He couldn't feel its familiar weight in his jacket anymore and he was sure he could hear it ringing somewhere. The paintings seemed to dance in place, truly moving as though more than just paint crudely applied to rock. Impossible of course, even for a place filled with Power Rangers. Philip closed his eyes. The furs smelled like Koda.

* * *

There were several side-effects that Philip frequently experienced after bonding to his Energem. He dealt with most of them well – excess energy, enhanced agility and strength. There was also a greatly increased appetite that was incredibly irritating, no doubt as a result of the amount of energy needed to be a successful Ranger. Gluttony was not something Philip ever willingly indulged in. It didn't befit a prince.

After another successful defence of Amber Beach, Philip found himself in the museum's cafe which was now closed to visitors. The rest of the team were present, though Keeper had remained below in the Dino Charge base meditating. Philip could already feel and hear his stomach grumbling, as the others rushed around the kitchen, preparing food for the very same reason. Kendall was sat nearby, tapping at a computer tablet with a vague look of irritation. She seemed to find the increased appetite as unpleasant as Philip did. Presently, Sir Ivan, burger in hand, placed a large basket of chicken pieces close to Kendall's free hand, followed by a glass of iced water and a basket of golden fried chips. They were a useful choice, easy for Kendall to eat while she worked.

The smell brought Kendall out of her work and she thanked Sir Ivan with a very grateful expression, reaching for the chicken immediately. Sir Ivan bowed neatly before quickly heading back into the kitchen where Tyler was flipping burgers and Shelby was arguing with Riley about the right way to prepare a salad. Chase was shoving; there was no other word for it, two hot dogs into his mouth, both covered with a relish that Philip could smell. It was not a condiment he was going to rush to taste.

Koda was...Koda was beside Philip now. Apparently Philip's hunger had greatly distracted him from his nearby surroundings because Koda was placing a large burger in a bun as well as a sizable bowl of chips in front of Philip.

"Thank you," Philip managed, startled and grateful.

Koda nodded, grinning, "Stomach loud."

Ah, yes, though surely it couldn't actually be heard over the sizzle of the grill or Chase's laughter or every other loud noise that the Rangers seemed to frequently make as a group. Philip cleared his throat, already reaching for the food.

"This is...what is this called?"

"Bronto Burger!" Koda replied jubilantly, miming eating an invisible version for some reason.

"You cooked it all the way through, right, Koda?" Tyler checked suddenly.

Koda nodded rapidly, telling Philip, "Kendall say people not always like rare meat, blue meat?"

Philip's eyebrows rose high. Well, he supposed a caveman was likely to prefer meat closer to raw. Once Koda had moved away, Philip peaked under the bun top to check, breaking a piece of burger off with a knife. Yes, it wasn't too pink at all. Philip's stomach was slightly louder now so he began to fastidiously deconstruct the burger. The others, he knew from past experience, would eat very quickly and very messily. Koda had to be encouraged to use even a plate.

Philip finished half the burger, practically a rushed meal for him, his utensils slowing as he realised that Koda had made and served Philip a meal before securing his own.

* * *

It was time for Philip to leave Amber Beach again, to head home to Zanter. Shelby looked rather unhappy as Philip finished up a phone call. His security were waiting for him upstairs.

"You've got siblings, right? Can't they, I don't know, take on Zanter, just while you're a Power Ranger?" Shelby asked.

Philip sighed – it was not the first time one of the Rangers had asked him. He understood why; not having a full roster at all times must feel very dangerous and incomplete when Heckyl was set on bombarding Amber Beach with monsters and fire power. But Philip was not just a Power Ranger.

"There's only so long I can ask them to bear my responsibilities, Shelby. Zanter needs me."

" _We_ need you. Amber Beach needs you. If we don't win here, Zanter could be attacked too."

Philip's hand closed around the graphite Energem that always hung around his neck. Shelby's words were stirring and powerful, and persuasive in a way that Philip himself had been taught from a young age. Her father was a successful businessman, wasn't he? But her request was impossible.

"Being a prince of Zanter is not merely a crown I can pass off to another, or a costume I can discard," Philip's tone was pointed and Shelby had the good grace to look a little sheepish. "I cannot expect others to do the job that has been mine since birth. One day, I will become king. My people need to see my work now, to see what I am willing to do for our land and what I am capable of."

Shelby sighed with frustration. Philip understood; he too felt great aggravation

"It is not easy for me," he told Shelby quietly. "To be pulled in two different directions, between two great responsibilities."

He could not and would not abandon either. He entered the lift back up to the museum, his thoughts melancholy until he entered the museum's public space and Koda appeared beside him, in his work uniform and as enthusiastic as always. He grinned, an expression which faltered at what he saw in Philip's face. He nudged Philip, the strength of the gesture almost sending Philip sprawling.

"Philip leave again?"

Philip nodded, the melancholy lingering still, "My country needs me."

"To help lead. Be king."

Here, Koda's expression and gestures became like an imitation of Sir Ivan but Philip got the idea.

"One day. My people need me now too, as much as you and the other Rangers do. I can't leave one duty for another."

"Both at once," Koda nodded, in content understanding. "Koda always caveman, Philip always prince and king. Both Rangers."

Philip nodded, struck suddenly by the notion that Koda was indeed many things too and well, Philip hadn't given that much thought before.

His security team neatly fell into step behind him. They felt as natural as shadows to Philip now. Koda eyed them curiously, always interested in how they moved in such a synchronised fashion. Philip's phone was ringing again – he was needed. He reached for it and Koda wrapped him up suddenly in a hug. It was surprisingly brief, perhaps Koda had felt the vibration of the ringing phone. Philip was left feeling a little stunned and breathless, as he always was after one of Koda's greetings or goodbyes.

Koda was still smiling. He always so easily and fulsomely said goodbye because he trusted that his friends would return. The breadth of that trust and belief, considering Koda's prior experiences as Philip understood them, was quite breathtaking.

"Goodbye, Philip."

Koda managed a strong bow and Philip's fingers locked around his phone, "Koda."

Something must have sounded out in the museum, possibly an alarm of some kind exclusively for the Rangers, because Koda left suddenly, rushing and swerving around people in the crowd, knocking into some while avoiding others with a clumsy-looking but entirely natural grace. Philip felt the tingle of his Energem, his free hand automatically touching it, only his phone was still ringing and he had much to do. He still had two destinies.

 _-the end_


End file.
